Binder



July 23, 1963 w. M. FENSTON BINDER Filed May 3, 1962 FIGI FIG. 3

FIG.2

INVENTOR. Vl l/l/am M. Fensfon BY ATTORNEYS FIG.4

3,098,487 BINDER William M. Fenston, 936 Fairview, Shreveport, La. Filed May 3, 1962, Ser- No. 192,110 4 Claims. (Cl. 12913) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in loose leaf binders.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved loose leaf binder having front and rear covers which are connected in such manner that the covers may undergo limited movement toward and away from each other to facilitate access to the sheets confined therebetween without releasing said sheets.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved loose leaf binder having posts extending transversely between its covers and means loosely connecting the covers so as to permit limited relative movement of said covers whereby the sheets confined on the posts may be separated and/or spread apart to a greater extent.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved loose leaf binder, of the character described, having back members attached to its covers in overlapping relation to each other, the back members being connected by a coacting gear wheel and rack to permit relative movement of said back members and their associated covers, the gear wheel having an enlargement thereon to limit rotation thereof and relative movement of the covers.

A construction designed to carry out the invention will be hereinafter described, together with other features of the invention.

The invention will be more readily understood from a reading of the following specification and by reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein an example of the invention is shown, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is an exploded, perspective view of a portion of a loose leaf binder constructed in accordance with the invention,

FIG. 2 is a broken, plan view of the back portion of the binder in an expanded, open position,

FIG. 3 is a vertical, sectional view, taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2, and

FIG. 4 is a vertical, sectional view, taken on the line 44 of FIG. 2.

In the drawings, the numeral designates a loose leaf binder having front and rear covers 11 and 12 of the type which includes wide main plates or sections 13 and 14 and relatively-narrow plates or sections 15 and 1-6 hinged to the inner margins of the main sections 17 and 18. Similar hinges 19 and 20 connect the plates 15 and 16 to oblong back members or flaps 21 and 22 which are adapted to overlap and form a back for the binder 10. The front plate 15 is of slightly greater width than the rear plate 16 to compensate for this overlapping relationship and permit the back flap 21 to be disposed outwardly of the back flap 22 (-FIG. 4). Buckram, canvas or other suitable material 23 may be utilized to cover the sections, plates and members as well as form the hinges therebetween. Each of the plates 15 and 16 has an elongate, flat element or bar 24, of metal or other rigid material, substantially coextensive with its inner longitudinal margin, adjacent the hinge 17 or 18, and suitably secured thereto. Two or more spaced, tubular posts or sleeves 25 project laterally inward from one of the bars 24 for telescoping engagement by complementary posts or rods 26 mounted on the other of said bars. As shown by the broken lines 27 in FIGS. 24, leaves, pages or sheets are adapted to be confined between the front and rear covers 11 and 12 on the posts formed by the coaction of the telescoping sleeves 25 and rods 26. Due to the provision of the ice hinges 17 and 18 between the sections 13 and 15 of the front cover 11 and between the sections 14 and 16 of the rear cover 12, respectively, the hinges 19 and 20 may be omitted and said sections 15 and 16 rigidly connected to the back flaps 21 and 22, respectively.

A substantially coextensive, transverse channel or ele ment 28, of metal or other rigid material, is mounted on each end of the back flap 21 with its flanges 29 and 30 directed inwardly and parallel to said flap for slidably receiving the end margins of the back flap 22. Each channel 28 has its web 3 1 in substantial alinement with one of the end margins of the flap 21 and its lower flange 36 secured to said flap by rivets 32 or other suitable means in overlying relation to'the inner surface of said flap. Due to the telescoping engagement of the post sleeves 25" and post rods 26 and the slidable reception of the end margins of the back flap 22 in the channels 28, the front and rear covers 11 and 12 are movable toward and away from each other to vary the spacing therebetween and facilitate access to the pages or sheets 27. As shown in FIG. 4, the space between the expanded covers may be sufficient to permit a page or sheet to lay approximately flat.

One of the channels 28, preferably the upper one, has the free longitudinal margin of its upper flange 29 serrated to provide gear teeth 33 whereby said flange functions as a gear rack. A gear wheel or pinion 34 is rotatably mounted on the back flap 22 by suitable means, such as a screw 35 extending inwardly through said flap and having a bearing 36 and a nut or other retainer 37 on its inner end portion for supporting and confining the pinion (FIG. 3). The teeth of the pinion 34 are adapted to mesh with the gear rack teeth 33 whereby said pinion is rotated upon inward and outward relative movement of the back flaps 21 and 22. For limiting the extent of rotation of the pinion and the relative movement of the back flaps, an enlargement or lug 38 projects substantially radially from said pinion so as to be movable into engagement with the gear rack.

Due to its lug 38, the pinion 34 can turn only less than one complete revolution whereby the relative movement of the back flaps 21 and 22 as well as the front covers 11 and 12 is limited to a distance less than the circumference of the pinion. Of course, the diameter of the pinion and/ or the number of its teeth controls the length of this distance and is subject to variation. The nut 35 is removable to permit adjustment of the position of the lug of the pinion relative to the gear rack, which is of a length greater than the circumference of said pinion and has more teeth, (as well as removal of said pinion for connection and separation of the back flaps. Manifestly, the pinion 34 may coact with either end portion or the medial portion of the gear rack depending upon the point of its engagement with said rack and the relative position of its lug 38. It is noted that the plates 15 and 16 extend perpendicular to the back flaps 21 and 22 and that the post sleeves 25 and rods 26 are parallel to the channels 28 when the end margins of said flaps 22 are engaged in said channels.

The foregoing description of the invention is explanatory thereof and various changes in the size, shape and materials, as well as in the details of the illustrated construction maybe made, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A loose leaf binder including front and rear covers, coacting post means extending transversely between the inner end portions of the covers, complementary back members extending inward transversely from the inner margins of the covers in overlapping relationship, means mounted on and extending transversely of one of the back members for slidably confining the other member and permitting transverse movement of said members relative to each other to vary the distance between said covers, the confining means including a gear raok, a pinion rotatably mounted on theslida bly confined back member in meshing engagement with the gear rack for rotation upon relative transverse movement of'said membera'and means projecting from the periphery of the pinion for engagement with said :gear rack to prevent rotation of said pinion and limit relative movement of said members.

2. A loose leaf binder as set forth in claim '1 wherein the {pinion is removable for engagement and disengagement with the gear rack to permit connection and separation of the back members and covers-as well as positioning'of said pinion with respect to said gear rack.

3. A loose leaf binder as set forth in claim '1 wherein the confining means includes elements on the ends of one of the back members --fo'r-slidably confining the ends of theother back member, each element having a longitudinal flange directed inwardly in parallel spaced relation to the member on which the element is mounted for overlying saidends of saidother member, the flange of one of the elements having longitudinal serrations therein forming the gear rack.

4. Ina loose leaf binder of the type having front and rear covers with posts extending transversely between the inner end portions thereof and overlapping back flaps connected to the inner margins of the covers and disposed in substantially parallel relation to the posts, means for slidably connecting the back flaps to each other and permitting relative transverse movement thereof including a channel extending transversely of one of said back flaps at each end thereof for slidably confining the ends of the other flap and permitting transverse movement of said flaps relative to each other and variation of the distance between said covers, each channel having one of its flanges attachedto said one ofsaid flaps with its other flange in spaced relation thereto for overlying saidends of said other flap,'the overlying flange of one of the channels having its free longitudinal margin serrated to provide a gear rack, a pinion rotatably mounted on said other flap for meshing engagement with the gear rack for rotation upon relative transverse movement of said flaps, and a lug projecting from the periphery of the pinion for engagement with the gear rack to prevent rotation of said pinion and limit relative movement of said fi aps.

References Cited in the file'ofthis patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 831,969 Morden et al. Sept. 25, 1906 1,228,578 Marton June 5, 1917 2,862,505 Rund blad et a1. Dec. 2, 1958 

1. A LOOSE LEAF BINDER INCLUDING FRONT AND REAR COVERS, COACTING POST MEANS EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY BETWEEN THE INNER END PORTIONS OF THE COVERS, COMPLEMENTARY BACK MEMBERS EXTENDING INWARD TRANSVERSELY FROM THE INNER MARGINS OF THE COVERS IN OVERLAPPING RELATIONSHIP, MEANS MOUNTED ON AND EXTENDING TRANSVERELY OF ONE OF THE BACK MEMBERS FOR SLIDABLY CONFINING THE OTHER MEMBER AND PERMITTING TRANSVERSE MOVEMENT OF SAID MEMBERS RELATIVE TO EACH OTHER TO VARY THE DISTANCE BETWEEN SAID COVERS, THE CONFINING MEANS INCLUDING A GEAR RACK, A PINION ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON THE SLIDABLY CONFINED BACK MEMBER IN MESHING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE GEAR RACK FOR ROTATION UPON RELATIVE TRANSVERSE MOVEMENT OF SAID MEMBERS, AND MEANS PROJECTING FROM THE PERIPHERY OF THE PINION FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID GEAR RACK TO PREVENT ROTATION OF SAID PINON AND LIMIT RELATIVE MOVEMENT OF SAID MEMBERS 